


Monsoon

by Sofy2801



Category: The Halcyon (TV)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-09-11
Updated: 2018-12-19
Packaged: 2019-07-11 01:51:28
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 12
Words: 15,067
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15962147
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sofy2801/pseuds/Sofy2801
Summary: Adil receives a visit from his parents and a news that changes his (and Toby's) life forever.A journey to India: spices, silk, gold, an exotic atmosphere, old palaces, new encouters...and the Monsoon...





	1. One

**Author's Note:**

> This is an exotic fairy tale...love, sex, jealousy, betrayal and the happy ending in the magical setting of a Rajasthan city during the Monsoon season (has anyone been there? I've been, I took a tour of Rajasthan 17 years ago, during the Monsoon, and it really was magical).
> 
> I see it taking place in 1941, Toby and Adil still rebuilding their relationship after the Anniversay night.
> 
> It's not much history compliant, but I'll try to stay as close as possible to India habits and traditions in the next chapters (I may need some time to better study the location...)
> 
> Enjoy :-)

Toby looked at his clock, 6.30p.m.   
Perfect, he had enough time to meet Adil before having dinner with his mother.

He smiled at the thought…those brief moments of kisses and “I love you” behind the locked storage door or under the staff’s stairs were an habit he wasn’t willing to give up. They gave him the thrill of the start of their relationship, even if now they’ve been together for a while and, after all they’ve been through in December, they could say they were a solid couple. 

He stopped right at the end of the main stairs, seeing Adil at The Halcyon door with those Toby immediately thought could be his parents. A well dressed man who could be Adil in his fifties, and a beautiful woman wearing a traditional “saree”.

Toby considered the opportunity to reach them, but something was wrong…from what he could see of his lover’s face, he looked like he’d just seen a ghost, his mother was placing a hand on his face, and his father was squeezing his shoulder, like to comfort him.

What happened?

Toby turned to Emma at the reception desk, but she was eyeing the scene with the same mix of curiosity and worry of Toby.

They didn’t need to ask him what was going on, because he reached them when his parents left and, with a shaky voice, holding some papers in his hands he said:  
“I need to talk to your father, Ms. Garland, and maybe is better if you both come too”

Once they were inside Mr. Garland’s office, Emma standing beside her father, Toby seated beside Adil, the barman placed the papers on the desk.  
Mr. Garland took them.

“It looks like a last will”

Adil nodded “My grandfather’s”

Toby, Emma and Richard waited. Toby was surprised, Adil had never mentioned a grandfather during their talk about his family…

“I’ve never met him, I didn’t even know he existed, until an hour ago, and now it seems I’m his only heir”

Adil was looking at the papers. Mr. Garland looked with more attention and what he read…

“Mr. Joshi…here it is written that you have inherited a…king title?”

“What?” Emma and Toby were speechless.

Toby placed his hand above Adil’s, who was clearly shocked by all this issue. It was safe here, both Emma and her father knew about them. “Adil…”

The man closed his eyes for a moment and took a deep breath. It was time to tell them what his parents came for.

“I was just 6 when we came to England, and it didn’t matter to me the reason why we left Daman. I just remember that we were happy there, but, all of a sudden, my father stated we should leave and find a better place for his trading and we moved”

The other three people in the room were listening attentively.

“I’ve discovered now, 20 years later, that we were escaping from my mother’s father. He was a Maharaja, and my mother was his only daughter. Even if he had no actual power above his kingdom, he was very involved in preserve Hindu Jat traditions against the British Empire. So my mother would have married the son of another Maharaja, like in the good old times…”

Adil took a moment to look at his speakers. They seemed like holding their breaths to know how the story went on…

“But my mother, even if she was just 15, was in love with my father, the son of the richest merchant in town, who was friend with her father and spent a lot of time at the Palace. When my grandfather fixed the date of the wedding, the two of them decided to confess their love. My father hoped his family would support them, but my other grandfather was too afraid of losing his positions and his wealth, so he denied his help. My grandmother tried to convince her husband that forcing their daughter into a combined marriage wasn’t right, but he was unmoving. My parents were desperate, they didn’t know what to do, but they both refused to give up on their love for each other. Luckily, one of my father’s uncles, who owned his own trading company in Daman, helped them. With his and my grandmother’s help, they reached Daman, they got regularly married, the uncle taught my father his job and things went on without problems”

Emma looked very touched by this story, the romantic girl inside of her taking the side of Adil’s mother, who went against the rules for her love.   
Mr. Garland was shaking his head, like he thought Indian people are really strange.  
Toby was holding his man’s hand tighter, a participant look on his face. Even if it sounded like a novel plot, he could imagine how difficult it was for Adil to get to know something so important about his past all of a sudden.

“Apparently, my grandfather had searched for his daughter for all those year, to punish she and her illegal husband, according to a feudal law that the British Empire had never cancelled…but when my father’s uncle got to know he was closing the circle around my parents, he made them move to England, where for sure my grandfather couldn’t reach”

Now, Emma, Richard and Toby were angry, they just couldn’t understand why a love marriage could be considered something to punish. The Middle Age was over, wasn’t it?

Adil was about to finish his story, but he took a moment to take in his parents story. He’s always seen them as a very strong couple, the lovely bond between them was clearly visible, and now he understood why: they had to fight for their happiness, and that made them inseparable. 

Would it be the same for Toby and him?

“My grandfather passed away a month ago, and from what we’ve read in his last will, he regretted not having understood her daughter’s feelings. He knew he had a nephew, and, to remedy at all the troubles he caused to his family, he wanted me to inherit everything…the title, the palaces, the money, the land…”

Toby was trying to stay as cool as possible, but it wasn’t easy…Adil inheriting a “kingdom” in India meant he should leave…it was selfish, and he knew it, but he couldn’t help to hope that his man refused the heritage to stay in London with him…

Mr. Garland went on in reading the paper on his desk.

“Here it says that whether you want to accept or reject the heritage, you have to go to India to proceed in the inventory of all your grandfather’s properties and founds, take possession of them and then make your decision about them”

Adil nodded in silence. Toby felt tears appearing in his eyes.

“A law firm here in London holds all the instructions for your trip back to India…Mr. Joshi, what are you planning to do?”

Adil looked at Toby, now both of them had tears running on their cheeks.

“I don’t know…what should I do?”


	2. Two

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is the "coming out" chapter. Before leaving to the other side of the world, both Toby and Adil had to clear things with their families.
> 
> ...I have to say sorry to every Freddie's fan...  
> I don't really think he's as mean as I made him, but I wanted to give a chance to Lady Priscilla to become a better mum.
> 
> Now, our two lovebirds are ready to start their journey to India!

After days and nights of talking about it, Adil finally decided he should go back to India. He would leave with his mother at the beginning of June.   
And Toby would go with him.

He hadn’t the slightest hesitation, as soon as Adil told him he took his decision, Toby said “I’ll come with you”.

They were still re-building their relationship after the horrible things that happened in December, they couldn’t stay away for months, this would mean the end of them. Nor Toby or Adil wanted this, so it came natural from Toby to decide to follow his man in this trip to his past. Adil had been shaken deeply by the story of his parents, he admitted to Toby that he couldn’t face this alone but he would never force him to leave his life in London for something he didn’t know where could bring them.

But Toby had no doubts where his place was, and Adil was incredibly happy. With Toby and his mother on his side, he would be able to face everything.

Now the point was, telling their families. 

At first, Toby thought about inventing a lie, saying he had been sent to India by his office…but Adil reminded him that he’d never been good with lies, and telling Freddie and Lady Priscilla the truth was better. In the end, they were leaving in a week, so if things didn’t go well with them, it will all be over in few days. 

On Sunday, when Freddie came to The Halcyon for lunch, Toby asked his twin and his mother to have coffee in the suite, because he had to talk privately with them. He asked Adil to bring up the coffee, he needed to feel his reassuring presence in the moment he’d tell them.

“Mother, Freddie, I’m sure you don’t know his name. This is Adil Joshi”

Lady Priscilla raised an eyebrow…Freddie was looking ad Toby and Adil suspiciously.

“He is the man that I love”

The voice was firm and clear, but Adil knew how difficult this should be for Toby, so he held his hand tight.

Something inside Lady Hamilton’s mind clicked: Mr. Garland talking about D’Abberville blackmailing Toby, Lucien telling his son had a dirty secret the day she…so that was…  
“I need a drink…” she stood up from the armchair and reached the table with the whiskey, gulping down a shot in a second.

“Toby, it’s not funny. It’s just a joke, right? It can’t be…” Freddie was trying to convince himself that what he just heard wasn’t true.

How could it possibly be? His twin in love with a man? It was wrong, illegal and…disgusting…surely the small Indian barman took advantage of Toby’s fragility, he was using him for his money, but his brother was too stupid and too needy of some kind of attention that he didn’t notice it.

“Leave this room, now!” Freddie shouted to Adil, angry.

Toby had never seen his brother like this…he was shocked. He expected this kind of reaction from his mother, but Freddie…his heart was breaking a little, but anger was his prevalent feeling.

“Don’t dare shouting at him like this, Freddie!”

“Toby, don’t you see? He’s using you…it’s just…disgusting!”

“Stop it!” Lady Priscilla turned to her sons “Freddie, stop it”

“Mother…this is against the law, Toby could be arrested if someone finds out”

Lady Hamilton ignored Freddie, and to everyone’s surprise, she hug her son like she probably had never done in years, with authentic motherly love. Toby was dazed, this was the last thing he would imagine. It was good…being hold by his mother like this. He hug her back, and Adil felt tears appearing in his eyes looking at this scene. Will it be the same with his mother?

He then took a side look to Freddie, who was looking angry and disgusted at the scene. This was a shock. Adil had always pictured Lord Hamilton like a very good man, he’d always been kind with the staff and apparently had a good relationship with his twin. But his reaction…this seemed a completely different Freddie, and Adil was happy he would take Toby away from him for a while. Maybe time will help him to come back to his senses and accept his brother.

“I’m sorry for everything that happened Toby”

Toby looked at his mother: she knew what D’Abberville did…or maybe just a part of it.

“It’s not your fault, mother. And it’s over”

“What are you talking about?” Freddie intervened.

Lady Priscilla turned to Lord Hamilton, with a hard look on her face. 

“Apologise to Toby and Mr. Joshi, Freddie, or leave this room”

“Mother, you can’t be serious” 

“I’ve never been that serious. I don’t want to hear you say that your bother is disgusting once more. If you are not able to accept him, then you’re not welcome here”

Freddie was speechless, Toby even more. He didn’t want his mother and his brother to argue because of him, but when he tried to speak Lady Hamilton shushed him and waited for Freddie’s move.

He was still angry, so he left, not failing to point a finger to Adil saying “I won’t let you ruin my brother and my family name, it won’t end here, Mr. Joshi”

When the door slammed behind Freddie, Toby spoke.

“Mother, I didn’t want this to end this way…I’ll go talk with him”

“No, Toby. He’s the one who has to come to you to apologise. And to you too, Mr. Joshi”

“Her Ladyship, I can assure you that it isn’t in my intention to ruin Toby’s life. His happiness is the most important thing for me”

The two shared a look, so full of love, that it was evident even to someone unused to that feeling like Priscilla.

“I can see it. And I’m sure Toby is happy with you”

“You can’t imagine how much, mother…but there’s something else I have to tell you”.

So Toby and Adil told Lady Priscilla the whole story, and she seemed very touched by it. She wasn’t happy to let her son go away for an undefined amount of time, but she understood the reason why he wanted to go with his man. 

She recommended to come to her if they needed something, and when Toby left The Halcyon on Sunday, Lady Priscilla said that, if they had to stay longer in India, she may reach them: she hadn’t have a holiday in years.

Freddie didn’t show again during the week, and Toby didn’t try to get in touch with him. Even Emma had argued with Lord Hamilton about the way he treated Toby, and he felt guilty to leave two messed situations behind. But both Emma and his mother told it was Freddie’s problem, and that he was the one who should come to terms with this, Toby had nothing to feel sorry for.

With Adil’s mother, things went even better. She smiled softly to her son, saying she always suspected him to be different and that she didn’t care, as long as he lived following his heart. The only thing that mattered to her (and she was sure also to Adil’s father) was Adil to be happy. They perfectly knew how it feels like to live a forbidden love, so they couldn’t say a thing against Adil. 

Between Deepali and Toby born an immediate fondness. She saw that the feeling between the two men was authentic, and strong, and that was enough for her to know that things would be alright, even if she was sure many ordeals were waiting for Adil in India.


	3. 3

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for the long wait...  
> Lack of inspiration and of time...  
> I hope I will have some of both soon, because the best of the story is yet to come!

The journey was very long, but Adil was grateful for the time he could spend with his mother. He was just a child when they left, and his memories of his childhood in India were faded.

Deepali spent the days and the evenings describing how her life in Bharatpur palace was. Even if her father’s power was merely symbolic, people in and around the city still considered Shri Maharaja Vrijendra as a referring point for their everyday life and activities.

Days in the palace were busy, full of people coming to ask for and advice, merchants, artists, artisans. Because Adil’s grandfather wanted to preserve his status, maintain his family’s traditions, so the palace and everything inside it, should be always perfect and, most of all, authentically Indian.

They were rich, because the British Empire may have suppressed the royal titles of the Maharajas, but it could do nothing against their properties. The old Maharaja paid taxes like every other subject of the Empire, but he was wealthy enough not to care much about it.

And Deepali grew up between silky saree, gold jewels, marble rooms, the smell of incense. But her mother, who was more realistic and practical than her husband, insisted in teaching her not just English as a language, but also literature and arts, because she knew that her daughter was destined to live under the British domination for a very long time.  
That’s why Deepali speaks a perfect English, and loves British authors. And that’s also why she developed a strong personality, with a brilliant mind that made her clearly different from other girls of the old Indian aristocracy.

Toby was literally entranced every time Deepali talked, he loved Adil’s tales about India, but his mother’s ones were ten thousand better. He had to admit that he didn’t know much about his lover’s birth country, but he was every day more curious to finally arrive there.

Well, the impact was strong…stronger than both Adil and Toby could expect. The heat, the humidity, the chaos in the streets, the mix of smells in the air…it was something they will both remember for a while.

Even if they were privileged, travelling by car or in a comfortable first class coach, they couldn’t not notice how the majority of people lived. In small wooden houses, washing themselves and everything else in rivers and ponds that seemed everything but clean. Cooking rice and chicken in the streets, with animals everywhere, sharing all the space with humans.

Toby was impressed, and a hint of sense of guilt was making him feel uncomfortable. He didn’t know how things were in India before the British Empire, but he was sure that part of the poverty he was seeing, was due to it.

Adil too was shaken by what he was seeing along their way to Bharatpur. He’s lived a privileged life, comparing to the majority of people around him now. They weren’t rich in England, but they had everything they needed to live a comfy life.  
Well, if his destiny was to stay in India, he knew how he would spend his grandfather’s money: to help people having a better life.

The night before reaching Bharatpur, Toby sneaked inside Adil’s room at midnight, when everyone in the lodging was sleeping.

He missed their intimacy. They’ve had some encounters during the trip, but fast and always with the fear of being discovered. It was already strange that a British man, a Hamilton, was travelling with two Indian people, if someone would see them meeting secretly, a scandal would have been inevitable.

Adil was standing by the window. Toby held him from behind, kissing his neck lightly enough to make Adil shiver.

“I miss you…”

Adil smiled.

“I miss you too”

He turned and kissed him deeply, slowly, passionately. 

“Thank you, Toby, for being here with me”

Toby looked at him, and saw some worry on his beautiful man’s face. They have never really talked about how Adil was feeling, along the way, but it was clear that he was nervous, now that they were very close to the destination of their trip.

“I could never be in any other place. Are you ok?”

Adil sighed, than hid his face in the crook of Toby’s neck. The man held him tight, kissing him on his temple.

“I don’t know. I’ve tried not to think too much of how it will be tomorrow…meeting my grandmother, entering in a palace that was supposed to be my home…how people will see me? Like a stranger? Like a prince? Do I really have the right to be there?”

He was terrified. His maximum ambition had always been to own and manage his lounge bar…and now he’s going to own and manage a kingdom…ok, not a real one, but as his mother said, it’s not just an honorary title.

He didn’t know if he was ready, if he had the ability to do it. A part of him just wanted to sell everything and go back to London, to his safe needle in Toby’s room at The Halcyon. But another part of him, that was growing stronger every day, wanted to accept the challenge and see if he could do something good with that unexpected gift.

“Oh Adil…of course you have the right to be here! You are the strongest and most beautiful person I’ve ever met, and everyone will see how special you are. I’m sure people will love you, it’s impossible not to love you”

“Well, you’re not really impartial…” Adil teased.

Toby rolled his eyes “Ok, I may not be completely impartial, but in all the time you’ve spent at The Halcyon, I’ve never heard a bad word against you, and Mr. Garland said you’re impossible to substitute, and that’s saying something!”

“Ok…I trust you”

“You better do it, because I’ll spend the rest of my life repeating you how wonderful you are”

Adil looked at Toby. He was so lucky to have him by his side…he took his face in his hands and pulled him down for a sweet kiss.

“Would you stay here tonight, just holding me until I sleep?”

Toby had other plans…but he understood his lover’s request. They will have other nights to make love, now Adil needs him in another way, and his heart was full of love seeing his usually strong man so vulnerable.

“Of course”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I chose Bharatpur because I wanted a city big enough to have hosted a royal palace. Seeing some pictures of the city and his neighbourhood, I decided it was perfect!  
> The city of Bharatpur still has a ruling family of Maharajas; I took the names of Adil's Grandfather and Grandmother from the list of rulers, even if the years in which those real people lived doesn't coincide with the time of the story.  
> The story will be developed between Bharatpur Palace and Deeg Palace, the summer residence of the Maharajas. This palace is known for its 900 fountains, that when are operating make a sound similar to the monsoon rain...


	4. 4

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Some "hot" action between the two lovebirds before things will become complicated...
> 
> A lot of time has passed since my last sex scene with Toby and Adil, and I have to say that I missed writing this!

It was like living in another world, an enchanted one .

The palace was exactly how Deepali described it, and endless sequence of rooms, overlooking marble courts that kept the noises of city far away. The walls were full of coloured paintings, representing scenes from the two epic books of Ramayana and Mahabharata. Silky curtains were dancing in the light breeze and the smell of incense mixed with the spices from the kitchens was spreading around.

Everyone was greeting Deepali and Adil with reverence, while the looks Toby was receiving were full of curiosity but they weren’t hostiles like he could expect. From what he knew from the assistant of the former Maharaja, who went to welcome them in Mumbai and escorted them to Bharatpur, the British presence in that district had never been perceived as a problem, and British people who were living there were well integrated with the locals.

The old Maharani Jaya, Adil’s grandmother, wasn’t there. She moved to Deeg Palace right after her husband’s death. Adil was curious to meet her, but the attendant reassured him that they will go there in few days. First, he had to meet the British representatives and all the most important people of the district and sign like a ton of papers to actually get control of his grandfather heritage.

A group of servants drag Adil away to prepare him “properly” for his first meetings. 

Deepali saw how Toby looked confused and a bit out of place right now, and she tried to comfort him.

“Don’t worry, they will bring him back to us later”

But in that moment, Toby wasn’t completely sure about it…a bad feeling that things might not go they planned was appearing in his mind. What if Adil finds himself liking this new life? What if he doesn’t want Toby on his side anymore?

“I’m scared…”

“Toby, I know it may be difficult to understand, but Adil now has to play a role. When the show will be over, I have no doubts that he will run to you”

“And if he likes this? I could become a problem for him”

“I thought you loved him”

“I do, I do love him but…”

“No “but”. If you really love Adil, than you should support him, no matter what. And trust him, because he loves you”

Toby looked at Deepali. Of course she was right, and he shouldn’t have doubts. But he couldn’t help it. He’s had doubts for all his life, and even if Adil’s love for him was the only real thing he’s ever had, the fear of not being what he actually needs, and of ending living alone was always hanging upon his heart. They had been through a lot, and they survived it. But Toby wasn’t sure he could do it again.

Deepali understood what was going on in Toby’s mind, she’s had a lot of conversations with Adil regarding him, and she came to know Toby pretty well.

This was a great trial for their love. She hoped they were both strong enough to pass through it.

She placed a hand on Toby’s face and spoke to him with a motherly tenderness that made the man’s heart melt.

“Toby, Adil needs us, you more than anyone else. We have to be strong, put his happiness before our, do our best to help him take the right decision and accept it, whatever that means. I will be there for you, when you’ll think it’s too much to handle. But we are here for Adil, and that’s all that matters”

Toby felt tears in his eyes. He was acting selfishly, and Adil didn’t deserved it. 

He hug Deepali. This woman was incredible, she had a strength that Toby never found in anyone he met in his life. 

“You’re right. I’m sorry. I’ll try, I’ll do my best, I promise”

Adil spent the rest of the day busy with people, even for dinner.

But when most of the noises in the palace stopped, Toby reached his room. He seemed not be there…

“Adil?” he called trying not to be too loud.

“I’m in the bathroom” he replied.

Toby opened a wooden door, and he stayed open mouthed for a second. “God, this is not a bathtub, it’s a swimming pool!”

Adil laughed genuinely. The Maharaja’s bathroom was huge, and the bathtub was actually a small pool on the ground.

“What about joining me, Mr. Hamilton?” he was looking at Toby with that spark of desire that the man knew very well, and that he was missing and aching for since they left London.

Toby got rid of his clothes and entered in the pool. The water was hot and perfumed with something he had already smelled but he honestly didn’t remember…

“It’s sandal oil”

It seemed like Adil was reading his mind

“It’s wonderful”

Toby let himself relax, he closed his eyes for a second. Maybe he couldn’t have Adil for himself in the day, but no one can take him away for the night, and that was how Toby liked it. Like when they were in his room at The Halcyon, or in Adil’s flat in Paddington. The night was their time, and this night seemed magical…

Adil slid closer to Toby, until he was sitting on his lap. He passed his hands through his hair, wetting it, making his man moan lightly for the sudden intimacy they were finally sharing. 

Toby hug him, starting to stroke Adil’s back with his fingers, while his man was kissing him deliberately slowly, teasing his lips with his tongue, before capturing them in a hungry kiss.

The sound of their kisses and their moans filled the room. They kissed for what seemed an eternity, because kissing each other was never enough, and they didn’t do it properly for more than a month.

They were both painfully hard when Adil stood up, bringing Toby with him. They kissed all the way to the huge bed , until they fell on it, Toby on his back and Adil crawling upon him.

The trail of kisses went lower, and when Adil finally took Toby in his mouth, the man let out a loud moan, almost coming undone for the pleasure. Adil wasn’t stopping, he licked and sucked, running his tongue up and down Toby’s length and finally the man came in his mouth almost screaming his name.

Toby had just the time to come down from his orgasm, that Adil moved to his hole, preparing him for what was coming next. He was so turned on, feeling Adil’s tongue pocking at him, followed by his fingers…that’s what he wanted, that’s what he needed: Adil making love to him. His man knew his body so well that it was easy for him to make Toby come more than once every time they had sex. And nothing could be compared to feel Adil inside of him and make him loose control. 

Because Toby too knew what Adil liked. 

He got up and brought Adil up for a kiss, then made him lay on his back, while he was upon him and started to grid their members together. And between a kiss and a bite on his lover’s neck, he slowly took Adil hard cock and drove it to his waiting hole, until it was completely inside of him.

“Oh God….”

“Toby…you’re amazing”

“You fit so perfectly in me, Adil, I missed you so much” Toby said starting to move up and down.

“I missed you too…I missed your taste, I missed this feeling of completeness”

Adil couldn’t stop looking at the ecstatic expression on Toby’s face while he was increasing the pace. It was a great turn on, and the fact that Toby took the initiative and was the one in control was something that always put him on the edge.

He had to control himself several times not to come too soon, but he didn’t last long, because Toby was stroking himself and from his “Oh yes” he knew his lover too was close to come a second time. So he took Toby’s cock in his hand and started to pump it faster, and Toby could concentrate in his riding.

They came one right after the other and they laid painting and smiling side by side for a while.

“I don’t want to change this for anything in the world, not even a reign or all the wealth my grandfather could have left me”

“Me too. I love you Adil”

“I love you too, Toby”

They got clean, wore their pijamas and fell asleep cuddled up together like they used to do in London. For tonight, Toby’s fears of possibly loosing Adil seemed far away, but who knew what the next days could bring…


	5. 5

Days and weeks passed with Adil caught in a whirlwind that sometimes made him feel trapped.

He wasn’t prepared to such a change in his life, and he still was tried by everything that happened with Toby last year. Too many emotions, conflicting feelings…all the insecurities he’d always hidden inside to help Toby with his self-discovery were coming at surface.

And they were starting to affect their relationship.

Toby was at Adil’s side whenever it was possible, Deepali has managed to make him come during the meetings Adil had with people from the district. She knew that both needed this: Toby, not to feel put aside from Adil’s new life. And Adil to know Toby was willing to share it with him.

But sometimes, even Adil’s mother work to keep things smooth between them didn’t work.

At the beginning, it was like a sort of honeymoon…they didn’t know if it was because of the “fairy tale” atmosphere of the palace, but every moment was right to make love. There wasn’t a corner of Adil’s private apartment that hasn’t witnessed a love session… 

It wasn’t just the sex though, all the time they could spend together, that wasn’t dedicate to the love making, was spent going around to discover Bharatpur and the surroundings. Adil was reconnecting with his native land, and Toby was getting to know it. 

He had to admit that it was pretty hard: the heat was affecting him a lot. The smell of spices everywhere, the food…he really wanted to make all of this become more familiar for him, but it was harder than he thought. For the son a rich British family, grown up in a golden cage, being catapulted at the other side of the world (in every possible meaning), wasn’t like drinking a glass of water.

Of course, he was fascinated by everything he was seeing, and he knew he was doing this for Adil, but he couldn’t ignore that a part of him wanted to get back to The Halcyon, to his job, to the evenings in the lounge watching Adil working, to the nights holding each other in his room.

Despite Deepali attempts to keep them close, that made Toby love his “mother in law” more every day, he was conscious that the more Adil got involved in this world, the far they got from each other. 

Sometimes Adil was so tired and nervous for a decision he had to take, that they argued for the most stupid things.

They both knew it was nothing serious, but since what happened in December, they’d never argued, and it was something they weren’t able to manage.

Finally, they could leave the city to reach Deeg Palace. From the way Deepali had described the palace, it was like a magical place, especially during the Monsoon season when the 999 fountains of the gardens could work, due to the huge amount of water stored in the basins. 

Adil hoped that a break from the life at palace would help them to get close again and make up. He hated fighting with Toby, and he knew for his man was the same. They both had their reasons to be upside down, but they have been through something worst, and he was sure they would work it out, somehow…even if he couldn’t see how…he was starting to consider the idea of living in India, to try and do what he was destined to, but he knew he couldn’t ask Toby to stay with him. 

He had a life in London, and he could never force him to choose…he didn’t know how this could end, but he had a feeling that the days they were going to spend in Deeg would be determining.

When they reached the palace, Toby and Adil’s expectations weren’t disregarded: it was a sparkling of coloured flowers, gardens with every kind of plant, fountains, marble buildings one behind the other. The sound of the birds and the water were the only ones, the small town was far away and the palace was surrounded by a big park to isolate it.  
Standing on a small staircase, an old woman, wearing a magnificent saree, was waiting. She was an older version of Deepali, there could be no doubts, that was Maharani Jaya, Adil’s grandmother.

Deepali was walking slowly towards her mother, tears falling silently from her eyes. Adil had never seen her so moved. They haven’t seen each other for 30 years…Deepali was going to kneel in front of her, like is used with parents, but Jaya took her up in an embrace.

They hug for what looked an eternity, than Jaya left her daughter to look at Adil. He smiled, not knowing what to do. She stretched a hand towards him, and he took it, making the two steps that divided them to reach his grandmother. She hug him too, visibly happy for this family reunion.

After a short speech in Hindi, Jaya referred to Toby.

“And you are?”

“I’m Toby Hamilton, honoured to meet you”

“Toby is a friend, he has helped me a lot in the past year”

She looked between Toby and Adil, who were smiling to each other, they weren’t just “friends” that’s for sure…but she would deal with this lately, now she had to recover all the time she’d lost with her daughter and her nephew.

“Welcome to Deeg, Mr. Hamilton. Come and meet your family, Adil”

Adil exchanged a look with his mother. Deepali was surprised too. She knew her father had a sister, married with the Raja of another town not far from Bharatpur, and her mother had a brother and a sister, so she probably had some cousins, but they never met.

Waiting in a wonderful room, there were two women and a man, around Toby and Adil’s age.

They all got up when Maharani Jaya entered, followed by Deepali and Adil, Toby a step behind them.

“These are Chandrani and Kiran, my sister-in-law’s nephews, and Leela, Kiran’s wife”

Chandrani, Adil’s cousins, was smiling friendly to both Adil and Deepali, and greeted them with the traditional “Namaste”. Leela too was smiling and followed her soon after.

As to Kiran…to say he was hostile was and understatement. His rage against this new arrival, especially towards Adil, was clearly readable, and a shiver went down Adil’s spine.  
Deepali too sensed some troubles coming, and Toby immediately disliked the man. He felt the need to stand before Adil and keep him away from that evil look, but he knew something like this was completely inappropriate and he kept his place.

“So this is the stranger supposed to be the new Maharaja”

“Kiran, I already warned you that I won’t tolerate this epithet. His name is Adil, he’s my nephew and the only natural heir of the title. Until you’ll live under this roof, Kiran, you’re supposed to treat him with respect”

“We don’t even know who he is, chachee”

“He’s here for this, to get to know each other. If you have problems with this, you can leave” Jaya was smiling a mocking smile.

Kiran’s face was a mask of rage.

“You perfectly know I can’t…but you can’t force me to share a room with him! Leela, come on” and he left the room, his wife following with a very sad expression, excusing herself before disappearing.

Jaya turned to Toby who has looked astonished at the scene. “I’m sorry, Mr. Hamilton, you had to see something so inappropriate at your arrival here”

Toby shook his head “No problem”

“Dadee, what’s his problem? I mean, I can perfectly understand he considers me a stranger, but I’ve never seen such a hate for someone he doesn’t even know”

“I guess it’s time we seat and I tell you what happened here in the last 30 years since your mother left”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Maybe, just maybe, I'm out of this period of lack of inspiration...


	6. 6

Maharani Jaya asked Chandrani to bring Mr. Hamilton to his room, she wanted to talk with Deepali and Adil in private.

The woman seemed really nice, asking Toby his impressions on India and showing him around until they reached his room.

“I want to apologize again for my brother, Mr. Hamilton. The last months had been hard for us, but I’m sure that now that Deepali and Adil are here, we’ll be able to become a real family”

Toby shook his head “No need to be sorry. And please, call me Toby”

Chandrani smiled “Alright, Toby. I guess we’ll meet again for dinner. In case you need something, you may call pulling the rope beside the bed”

“Thank you very much. May I ask you where Adil’s room is?”

Chandrani looked surprised by the question.

“I have some of his books in my bags and I want to bring them to him”

It was the first thing that crossed his mind…but it seemed working, since the woman took it as true.

“It’s in the next court, just go through that arch and you’ll find a very small garden. The rooms of the Maharaja are there”

After unpacking his baggage, Toby went to Adil’s apartment, bringing a couple of books with him just in case he met Chandrani again…

The sleeping room was wonderful, all painted and furnished in the shades of light blue, Adil’s favourite colour.

Toby was so focused on the beauty of the room, that he didn’t hear the steps behind him, and he almost jumped when a familiar voice asked “What are you doing here?”

Toby turned to see Kiran standing by the door. The evil look he had before was still visible on his face, but he had a strange expression…he seemed to be studying Toby…or better, to try and find a weak point to use against him. 

Bloody hell, Toby thought that D’Abberville was the worst person he’d ever met, but this man was even worse…every sense was telling him to put his defences up, that Kiran was a danger for both Adil and him. His instinct was telling Kiran that it was none of his business, but this would sound suspicious. So he decided to go on with the story of the books, hoping he will leave.

“I had some of Adil’s books in my bags, I’m just leaving them here”

Kiran smiled with the corner of his lips. Of course he hadn’t trusted this for a second, but he slowly walked to Toby pretending to let the issue fall.

“And how did an Indian barman met someone like you?”

Again, the tone on Kiran’s voice was making Toby on alert…

“My family owns the hotel in which Adil worked, and I live there, so…” he shrugged, trying to make it appear as the most natural thing in the world.

Now Kiran was standing only one step from him, and Toby was nervous. He should move and leave the room, there was something into the other man’s eyes…

“My cousin is too lucky…to have a “friend” like you…”

From the way Kiran said “friend”, Toby knew he didn’t believe them to be just friends. And the way he was looking at him, like he wanted to strip him naked and eat him…Toby felt like a prey in a cage with his executioner. Kiran was closer, and placed a finger on Toby’s lips to trace their profile.

“Toby?”

Adil was looking astonished at the scene from the door. Kiran turned immediately to him and Toby closed his eyes to silently thank God his man had arrived to bring him out of that horrible situation.

“Kiran…”

“Stranger…”

A heavy silence fell on the room, until Kiran walked out, with his evil smile, without saying a word.

Adil closed the door behind him.

“Toby, what the hell was happening?”

“I don’t know…I just came here because I wanted to wait for you and he appeared, asking how we two met and then…I swear nothing bad happened, Adil, trust me”

“Of course I trust you, Toby”

Adil almost run to his man to hug him tight, and Toby could sigh of relief.

“We have to be careful with him, Toby, he hates me”

They seated on the steps in front of the alcove and Adil told Toby everything his grandmother said. 

When Maharaja Vijendra’s nephew and his wife died in a car accident, they left little Kiran and his younger sister Chandrani alone. No other relative was alive, so Maharani Jaya decided the two should grow up with them in Bharatpur. More so because they have discovered that Vijendra’s brother in law left his son with a lot of debts, which were now hanging above the head of a 10 years boy. He wasn’t willing to pay for them, but since Kiran was the only remaining heir of his wealth, having his daughter disappeared with her “husband”, Maharaja Vijendra decided to raise him as the future Maharaja. He would repay for his grandfather’s debts at Vijendra’s death.

So Kiran and Chandrani moved to Bharatpur. Kiran got married when he was 22, but since that day, he started to change…and the old Maharaja was starting to think he made a mistake in promising him the reign. Maharani Jaya knew Kiran wasn’t right to carry on the ruling family, he was selfish, with such a self-esteem that no-one or nothing could be better than him. He was treating his wife and his own sister like slaves, becoming more and more intolerant at Vijendra’s reproaches.

Maharani Jaya secretly sent a very reliable man to investigate by the Joshy family and have some news about her daughter. She was sure she’s had children, and was determined to find out the only true heirs of her husband title to get rid of Kiran and his yearning of power.

When finally, after months of searching, she knew about Adil, she talked with Vijendra. They discussed a lot, but after trying to fight against his own heart, the old Maharaja, when was seeing his end approaching, decided to change his last will and leave everything to his natural grandson.

When Kiran discovered about it, he got mad. 

He swore to Jaya that this “stranger” wouldn’t take away from him what he considered his, by right. He’d fight with all his strength, and he was sure he’ll win in the end…

“You see why we have to keep an eye on him? He’s capable of doing anything to destroy me. Dadee says he’s really dangerous”

“Oh God…I couldn’t imagine…I’ve never seen such a hate in someone’s look, and now I understand why”

“I just hope I can get rid of him giving him the money he needs to repay his family’s debts, so that he can leave and go back to his palace”

“You can do it?”

“Yes, my grandfather left an amount of money for this purpose, he probably imagined Kiran’s reaction at the change in the testament”

“That would be great…but I’m not sure it will be enough for him”

“Me too”


	7. 7

Toby was seated in his room, trying to read a book, while his mind was actually thinking at Adil and the situation they were in.

“May I come in?”

Deepali was at the door, left open to let the breeze in. Toby smiled “Of course”

She went seating at his side, and put a hand on his knee “How are you?”

Toby shook his head.

“I don’t know, I really don’t know how I feel…”

“I want to apologise, Toby, for my mother’s behaviour. The only thing that could justify her is that she’s old, but she has no right to put you aside, especially since I told her how important you are to Adil”

“And Adil, did he tell her the same? Is he trying to do something about this?”

There was a bitterness in his voice that he didn’t want to feel, but he couldn’t help it: Jaya was basically doing anything to keep Adil and him apart, making Toby clearly understand that he wasn’t a member of the family, and his presence was only temporary there. And it seemed to Toby that his man wasn’t fighting against it. 

“He’s tried, I know it for sure, but is not easy to fight with my mother…and Adil has so many things to think about right now”

“I feel like I’m not in the list…”

Toby closed his eyes for a second, feeling tears born in them. He didn’t want to cry. He promised Deepali he would support Adil in what he perfectly understood was an earthquake of emotions that overturned his life in few weeks. But the thought that the end of them as a couple was near was effecting him. He wanted to fight for their love to survive, but he couldn’t do it alone, he needed Adil to fight too, and now it looked like he didn’t want to…

“Of course you are, Toby! But he has to take a decision that may change his life forever, and he wants to choose right. It’s not just about you two, he has an additional family to think of, my mother, Chandrani, even Kiran and his wife depend on what he will decide to do”

“I know, I know it’s difficult, but it hurts me that he’s keeping me away from this…we used to talk about everything, from the most stupid to the most important thing, and now he doesn’t talk to me…”

“Oh, Toby, I’m so sorry…I don’t think he even realise he’s hurting you. He probably just wants not to make you worry with his doubts. He’s always been stubborn, he wants to carry the cross on his own”

“I perfectly know it…but the last time he did, it almost ended in a tragedy…”

“Maybe you should tell him how you feel, I’m sure it will help”

“I’ll try, even if we barely have the time to speak”

Deepali place a hand on Toby’s face, then placed a kiss on his forehead. In that moment, Adil appeared on the door to call for his mother: Jaya was ready to leave for XXX temple with the rest of the family.

“I’m coming. Toby, remember you always can come to me, alright?”

Toby nodded “Thank you”

She patted her son on his shoulder before leaving the room.

Toby stood up, Adil was kind of waiting for him at the door. He got closer, took his face in his hands, like he used to do and kissed him.

It was a desperate kiss, Toby hoped it could tell Adil how much he was missing him. Adil held him tight and put all his emotions in it. He missed Toby too, but before things could go back as they were between them, he had to decide what he wanted to do, and he felt it was a decision he had to take on his own.

“I love you”

Adil held Toby even tighter “Toby…I love you too”

****

Toby was walking in the park, waiting for the family to come back. The only sounds were the birds and the call of peacocks.

He reached the lake at the end of the park, and stood there to take in the beauty of the nature surrounding him. Whatever will be the end this adventure, this place will always remain in his memories as the most beautiful one he’d been.  
And who knows, maybe one day he’ll be able to bring there his mother, and Emma, who will surely will love it too. And maybe Freddie…

He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn’t feel the first raindrops, but suddenly the rain intensified and soon he was running to a small building overlooking the lake to have a shelter until the shower was over.

“Surprised by the monsoon?”

Toby shivered, and not because he was soak wet from the rain…that voice…he turned to see Kiran laying on a sofa with a book in his hands.

“Weren’t you supposed to be at the temple with everybody else?”

“I was, but I didn’t go”

The man was looking intently at him, and Toby turned to look outside. 

It was strange but, for how much he disliked Kiran, he was somehow happy not be alone. The silence was making him nervous though, so he decided to try to be polite with him and start a conversation.

“Aren’t you religious?”

“In my own way…I didn’t want to stay with your Adil. It’s enough that I’m forced to see him every day…”

Toby ignored the fact that Kiran used “your Adil”, the kind of relationship between Adil and him wasn’t something he wanted to discuss with him.

“Then why don’t you leave?” 

“And give up what’s mine? Never. I’ve lived with Vijendra and Jaya for 16 years, I’m the one he chose, I’m the one raised to become the ruler of Bharatpur. I’ve never deceived Vijendra, I’ve always done everything he wanted, I even married the stranger he chose for me…I deserve this, and I’m not willing to let it go”

This time, there wasn’t hate in Kiran’s eyes, only a strong determination to win, he really considered Adil as an usurper. Toby couldn’t completely blame him. He’d grown up with the idea to become the Maharaja and all of a sudden he discovered that there was someone else before him…to Toby, a title hadn’t the slightest importance, but it was clear that to Kiran, it meant everything.

Toby thought that probably he’s lived a very sad and lonely life. He couldn’t even have the consolation of love, since he married someone he didn’t choose. A sort of compassion was making him dislike the man a little bit less.

“Adil hasn’t decided yet if he’d stay here or not, so maybe, you’ll get what you want without being that hateful with him…”

Kiran laughed.

“Jaya would never let him go. She doesn’t like me, she’d do anything to make him stay. And you’d better be prepared to say goodbye soon…”

It was like a knife put right into his heart…Toby had that feeling too…but hearing it from Kiran…

“Unless…”

Kiran stood up and reached Toby, looking deeply into his eyes and squeezing his shoulders.

“Help me, Toby…help me to have my life back, so that you can have your man back. Persuade him to leave”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> What will Toby do?
> 
> Stay tuned to find out...have a nice weekend!


	8. 8

Days were passing by, Toby and Adil were more distant than ever. They weren’t kissing, they weren’t cuddling, they weren’t making love anymore…

Toby felt like a stranger in his lover’s life. For a moment, he thought about considering Kiran request, but he could never force Adil into something he didn’t actually want. He was just tired of fighting, and he decided that he would tell Adil he was going back to London.

He hoped, deep inside, that this may help his man to understand how bad Toby was feeling, he didn’t want to use this as a threat, but he really was exhausted: he couldn’t live with Adil this way.   
He was standing by Adil’s door, waiting for him to come back from whatever he had to do that afternoon, when he spotted him. And, of course, he was with Chandrani.

Toby tried with all his strength not to be jealous, he perfectly knew Adil couldn’t be attracted to her. But it was perfectly clear that she had a crush on him, and Adil was acting a bit too sweet with her, in Toby’s opinion.

When Adi saw him, he excused himself from Chandrani and reached his room. He saw Toby was very serious, but he thought it was because of their fight of last night, for which he wanted to apologise.

Adil knew he wasn’t behaving well with Toby. He left everything behind to follow him in India, and Adil was putting him aside from this new life. It wasn’t cruelty, he simply didn’t want to make Toby worry about him, with all the things he had to think about.

“Toby I…”

“I’m leaving” Toby didn’t let Adil speak first. What he wanted to tell was important, yet so difficult for him, that he had to take all his courage and start first, otherwise he wouldn’t had the strength to go on.

Adil was petrified. Not a single word was able to come out from his mouth. His brain was trying to process what Toby just said…leaving? 

“I feel like this is not my place. I wanted to be by your side, but it seems like you don’t need my help. So I’m going back home”

Toby was trying to keep the tears in the back of his eyes, but he couldn’t stop his voice to tremble.

Adil was shaking his head “no”, a knot closing his stomach, his legs weak like the earth was falling down under his feet.

“It’s for the best, even if it’s so hard…your grandmother will be happy, you’ll marry Chandrani and become ruler of Bharatpur, as you were destined to be”

“What?” Adil suddenly woke up from his dizziness “Marry Chandrani?”

Toby shrugged “Don’t’ tell me you haven’t seen the way she looks at you…and how Jaya is happy for all the time you two spend together”

Now all his jealousy was showing in his voice.

“You know I can’t marry her!”

Adil was angry…how could Toby think something like this?

“Why not? You told me once that there are plenty of married men like us. And who knows, maybe you’ll like it in the end, you get along very well with her, from what I can see…”

“God, Toby…she’s like a sister to me, like Emma can be for you! Yes, I’m happy to spend time with her because she helps to better understand this new world I’m living in, but it doesn’t mean I have feelings for her! I can’t believe we are seriously talking about this!”

“I’m really tired of arguing, Adil…I just came here to tell you that I’ve decided to leave. Tomorrow I’ll pack my things and go back to Bharatpur from where I’ll arrange my trip back to London”

“Is this an ultimatum?”

“I’m not asking you to choose”

“This is not asking, you are presenting me with a fait accompli”

“You gave me no reasons to stay”

Adil closed his eyes for a second…it was true, and it killed him to admit it. He never actually asked Toby how he was feeling, they never seated to talk about how their future could be after this experience. He’d been selfish, there were no other words to define this. 

“Toby…I’m sorry…I don’t know what to say…I want us to stay together, but it’s complicated”

“Together?” Toby laughed bitterly, all the things he kept closed inside during the last few weeks were coming out with a force he wasn’t able to stop…”Can you remember the last time we’ve actually been together? I mean, really together like we used to do? Because I don’t’!”

“Well, sorry if I’ve been busy in trying to understand what my life could be here! How can’t you understand how difficult this situation is for me?”

“And how can’t YOU understand how difficult is for me too?”

They were shouting like never before. This wasn’t’ like the other fights they’ve had. This was the final match…and they were both going to lose, in a way or another.

“Maybe we weren’t ready for this…”

Adil was trying to be reasonable. He hated being angry with Toby.

“That’s pretty clear”

“Are you serious? About going back to London?”

Toby nodded. 

“I’m not going to force you to stay”

The world stopped turning around them. Everything was like frozen, and Toby felt like he was going to crush into thousand pieces at any moment.

“Alright”

He left, without saying a word.

Adil collapsed on the floor crying. When the river of tears dried, he knew exactly what he wanted to do.

***********

The sun was slowly setting behind the hills, a peaceful and magical atmosphere was reigning over Deeg Palace.

Adil was looking ravished at all the beauty surrounding him. He was seated on a stone bench on one of the many terraces of the palace. He’s searched for Toby everywhere, without being able to find him, so he went up there, where he could think and clear his mind far from all the activities in the rooms below him.

He was sure he took the right decision and he couldn’t wait to tell it to Toby. He would apologise, they would talk, they would make love and they would go on with their life together, stronger than before.

He heard some steps behind him, and he looked surprised when he found Chandrani smiling at him.

“Hi”

“Hi, am I bothering you?”

Adil smiled softly and shook his head. Chandrani sit at his side.

“What are you doing here?”

Chandrani smiled “I often come to the terraces to walk and admire the landscape. I feel safer than in the park…and you?”

“I had to think of something very, very important, and this is a perfect place”

Chandrani looked intently at Adil for a moment, trying to read into his eyes. Thinking back at what Toby told him, about the girl having a crush on him, Adil was starting to feel a bit embarrassed…but Chandrani had always been very kind with him, and he didn’t want to treat her rudely.

“Chandrani, I have to tell you something…” and he placed a hand above the girl’s one.

The girl had been waiting for weeks to be touched like this by Adil, and she thought that gesture meant he finally was going to propose to her…in a moment of unexpected bravery, she threw herself to Adil and kiss him on his lips.

The last thing both could think of in that moment, was that an astonished Toby had seen the whole scene.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> inner_tempest don't hate me!!!  
> You know I've promised you a happy ending, so keep calm and wait for the next chapters (I think two + the epilogue, and hopefully it will be finished by Christmas)


	9. 9

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This has been so hard to write...

Toby didn’t show at dinner, Chandrani was silent and never looked at something that wasn’t her dish, Adil was nervous and the other tablemates were trying to keep the atmosphere light, even if it was clear that something wrong happened.

Kiran excused himself right after he finished and went straight to Toby’s room, to find him packing his clothes in his bags.

“What are you doing?”

Toby sighed, not even turning to look at the man.

“You’re supposed to knock before coming in, don’t you know?”

“You didn’t answer to my question”

“Tomorrow I’ll go back to Bharatpur and then straight to London”

“Alone?”

“Yes”

Kiran went to seat on the bed, to look at Toby. He looked incredibly calm for someone who was seeing his goal fading away…but Toby was too tired to consider that maybe Kiran had his reasons to act so nicely with him.

“You didn’t ask him to leave with you, did you?”

Toby shook his head “It would have been useless, when I told him I was leaving, he just said that he wouldn’t force me to stay. Apparently, he’s already found a replacement”

“What?”

“Kiran, you should really consider the offer Adil gave to you: come back to your birth city, rule your own palace and forget about the past”

The man seemed to think about it for a moment.

“And neither of us will have his happy ending…”

“Not me, for sure…but you, you can have what you want, just in a different way. You’ll be Maharaja, you’ll have all the debts your family left paid and an annuity to live like you’ve always lived. Far from Adil, Jaya and everything that made you so unhappy”

“You look pretty sure about this, but you don’t know me at all…”

“That’s true, but that’s what I’d do, if I were in your shoes. It seems like the most reasonable advice I can give you”

Kiran stood up and walked closer to Toby, he was just an inch away “Adil is an idiot to let you go…”

Toby couldn’t move. An insane desire to be touched by the man in front of him took control of his body, and he took a step toward him, until their body touched, and Kiran pulled his face to kiss him hungrily. 

Instead of pushing him away, or feeling ashamed about the way he was reacting, like he was supposed to do and be, Toby deepened the kiss, his hands going from Kiran’s hair to his butt.

Kiran started to undo his shirt and trailed wet kisses down his chest, making Toby shiver for a contact he was missing too much…he did the same with the other man’s clothes, tasting the spicy skin of Kiran with his mouth.

And when Kiran undid his belt and took him in his hand to pump him, Toby let out a moan that surprised him. He’d never thought he could do these things with someone who wasn’t Adil. He didn’t know if it was because they hadn’t make love for weeks, or because he knew it was over, but he was feeling so turned on that he silenced that voice in his mind telling him he was doing something wrong.

They devoured each other with hungry kisses. There were no feelings, no tenderness, just a rough desire, an animal instinct to fuck.

Kiran made Toby lay on a carpet on the ground and started to suck him, slowing down just before he was going to explode in his mouth…he then started to finger him, while kissing his nipples.  
When Toby was stretched enough, Kiran penetrated him, all the way until he was impossibly deep inside him, making Toby arch his back for the pleasure he was feeling.

Toby was a mess, repeating “Yes!” and “Oh my God”. He had his eyes closed, and he couldn’t see the triumphal expression on Kiran face when Adil opened the door and saw his man having sex with his worst enemy.

Kiran went on pumping into Toby, never breaking eye contact with Adil who, after few seconds of pure shock, left the room without saying a word.

The joy for his victory made Kiran speed up the pace and soon he came, with Toby right after him.

When he pulled out, his evil smile was back on his face and Toby suddenly realised what a huge mistake he’s made.

“You’re right, now I can go back to Baran. I’ve partially had what I wanted, I’ve stolen Adil something that was his…”

“I’m not his anymore”

“For sure not after this…he saw us”

“What?”

Toby stood up in a second, turning to the door: it wasn’t closed…

“You’re saying it just to humiliate me!” He was trying to convince himself that it wasn’t true, that the man he loved hadn’t actually seen him moaning like a whore being fucked by another man. It wasn’t so impossible, Kiran could be that mean.

“Go ask him, if you don’t trust me”

Toby felt immediately uncomfortable of being naked in front of Kiran, he threw his clothes to him screaming to leave and run to the bathroom to wash away the other man smell, sweat and cum from him. He felt so dirty…how could he ever explain something like this to Adil?

**********

The palace was completely in silence. The moon and the stars seemed to shine brighter than usual in the dark sky.

Toby was standing some steps behind Adil. He didn’t dare to reach him or get closer, but he wanted to talk to him.

“Did you see us?”

Adil decided not to reply, he would stay seated in silence, like a statue. He would let Toby talk but he couldn’t talk back…what he saw was too much to handle right now. He had to rationalise it.

“I won’t try to find excuses for my behaviour…but Adil, please hear me out”

Still no signs from Adil.

“Ok. I…I could say that I thought we were over, that I saw you and Chandrani kissing, that we haven’t made love for weeks, that Kiran seduced me…but it won’t change what happened. I’m human, I fell in temptation. I did what I did because, in that moment, I wanted to. And I regret it. You don’t know how bad I feel now…Adil, please…talk to me…”

Toby saw Chandrani and him kissing? Well he probably left before he could see Adil rejecting her, telling that he would always consider her like a sister, but that he could never love her as a woman.  
But it still doesn’t justify what Toby did. And Adil didn’t turn or talk.

“I didn’t want this to end like this…Adil, I love you. I’ve loved you since the first time you kissed me and I run away. I will always love you. What happened tonight doesn’t change what I feel for you…but I know it’s over and probably there’s nothing I can say to make you forgive me”

Toby knew Adil wouldn’t reply. He waited a moment more…nothing. He left, feeling like a part of him was dead that night.


	10. 10

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Before the reconciliation and the happy ending I promised to inner_tempest, I thought something else was necessary not to leave to many "?" about certain characters' behaviour.  
> Tomorrow, love will rule the world, and next week an appropriate epilogue for this romantic and exotic fairy tale!

The family was already having breakfast when Adil joined them, looking awful: red bags under his eyes. It was clear that he didn’t sleep, and he had probably cried.  
Deepali placed a hand above Adil’s one once he sat near her.

“Everything’s fine?”

Adil looked at Kiran, who was wearing a satisfied smile on his face.

“I’ve already spoken with Mr. Pawan, your family’s debts will be paid by tomorrow, and I’ve also ordered that a monthly income is sent to you so that you can maintain your family palace. Go prepare your stuff, on this hour tomorrow you’ll be leaving to Baran”

Jaya and Deepali exchanged a look. 

“Adil?”

“That’s what Vijendra wanted, I’m only respecting his will”

Chandrani and Leela were speechless, and worried. 

Leela turned to his husband “Kiran, what happened?”

“It seems like little Adil is taking his role very seriously….” 

He wasn’t surprised, he was expecting something like this to happen after last night events.   
And, honestly, he didn’t care about the title of Maharaja anymore…he just wanted to leave, to break free from a place and a family that he felt like a prison for more than half of his life.   
He had his revenge on Adil, he knew that he’d destroyed his happiness for the years on, and that could be considered as a right reward for all that he had to suffer.

“Leela, you are free to stay and leave him to his own world of loneliness and frustration, you deserve better”

Adil added, still staring deeply into Kiran’s eyes. At these words, he stiffed on his chair and Leela started to panic…

“What is he talking about?” she asked her husband with a small voice, just above a whisper, fearing an answer she wasn’t able to handle.

Kiran just made an half smile and waited.

“Tell her, Kiran “ Adil was now letting all his anger out, challenging the man “Tell Leela the reason why I’m kicking you out, the reason why you’d never be a good husband for her”

Kiran just stayed silent. The wound he inflicted to Adil was even deeper than he thought, he was reacting with a strength he honestly didn’t consider the man could have…he chose well then, to hit him in his love for Toby Hamilton. In the end, by acting like this, wanting to tell everyone what happened, Adil was only doing him a favour. Because after this, he’ll probably get rid of Leela and he could finally live his sexuality openly, far away, in a place where he didn’t know a single person anymore and could start at new.

This perspective was somehow exciting, and Kiran decided not to let Adil all the fun in destroying his reputation.

“I’ve slept with his man, yesterday”

Kiran was looking at Adil, but he caught the astonished reactions of the women surrounding them.

“What?” 

“Toby Hamilton was Adil’s lover, they are homosexuals, like I am”

Leela was trying to process what his husband just said…it all made sense now…she’d always been told she was pretty, for sure she knew what a wife duties were, and she loved Kiran…but she’s always felt like an intruder in his life. He never treated her bad, but he basically ignored her presence, and the rare moments of intimacy they share, were fast and completely at lack of feelings…and now she understood why: there was nothing wrong with her…Kiran just preferred men.

A insane as it may seem, she didn’t hate the man seated in front of her. She wasn’t disgusted or offended, she just felt pity for him. It was clear now that Kiran must have suffered and struggled a lot to deal with this thing, that he’d been alone all his life in a world where no one could understand what was going on inside him and help him out.  
No, she decided in that right moment, she wouldn’t leave him. She may never be a real wife for him, but at least she could be a friend.

Chandrani was probably as shocked as Leela was, not for her brother, but for Adil…she turned to him.

“You like men?”

“Yes, yes I do. That’s why I told you yesterday that I can’t give you what you wanted from me”

Her heart broke a little. She thought that maybe it was too soon, that she chose a bad moment to kiss Adil. Now it turned out that there could never be a right moment for them to be more than…friends?

Jaya seemed deep in her thoughts, far from the conversation that was taking place at her table. She’s always known about Kiran, that’s why she convinced he husband to choose Leela for him. She thought that, one day, it would all come to surface, and she was the right one to handle it in the best possible way not to create a scandal.

And of course she didn’t trust for a second that Toby Hamilton was just a “friend” to Adil. 

“Where’s Mr. Hamilton now?” she asked, taking Adil by surprise. The last thing he wanted was talking about his former lover…

“Packing his things, I guess, he’s going to leave this morning”

“And you let him go?” 

Deepali was trying to see if his son was serious in letting Toby leave. It was clear that Adil was hurt, and of course Toby’s behaviour wasn’t excusable, but she knew, for a matter of fact, that the wrong was on both sides. Toby hadn’t tried hard enough to understand Adil’s new world, and Adil had pushed his man away without asking how he was feeling.  
But they were so in love…there should be a way to work things out. Deepali was sure that they will both regret to throw in the towel now.

“I’ve decided to stay here, to become what I was born for, to help my country and my people to live better. That’s the only thing that matters now. It’s the right thing to do”

Deepali and Jaya shared a look, they both knew Adil was making a terrible mistake, but it was clear that he wouldn’t listen to them.

“Maan, Dadee, come with me please, we have to plan all the details for when we’ll be back in Bharatpur. Kiran, I don’t want to see your face ever again, refer to Mr. Pawan when you’ll be ready to leave”

That said, he stood and left, his mother and grandmother following him, leaving a silent room behind.

********

Everything was ready, Toby was just waiting for noon to come, when a car will come to pick him up to go back to Bharatpur, pretending to read a book while his mind was still a mess and his heart was aching so badly that he could barely breath.

He was caught completely by surprise when Jaya knocked softly on the door and went in, seating on an armchair in front of him.

“So, you’re giving up, Mr. Hamilton”

Toby opened the mouth to speak, but he didn’t know what to say. Did Adil tell her everything?

“You’re deceiving me”

What?

“I don’t know what are you talking about” and he really had no clue on where this conversation was leading.

“I thought you were in love with my grandchild enough to be on his side in this though moment of his life. That’s what a good lover would do”

“I…” how could he reply to this? He thought Jaya was trying to match Adil with Chandrani, putting him aside, and now?

“I challenged you, Mr. Hamilton, and, apparently you failed. So I was right, in the end, of not trusting you to be the right one for Adil”

She was still challenging Toby. Like she did since she discovered that her grandchild had a relationship with the British man. It wasn’t really a big deal to Jaya with whom Adil sleeps, her main concern was that Toby Hamilton was actually the right person to stay on Adil’s side through everything that was going to happen in his life as ruler of Bharatpur. It was a hard task, Jaya knew it, and Adil would need all the support from the person he loved. That’s why she decided to prove Toby to be what Adil needed.

She never really considered Chandrani as a wife for Adil, but she let Toby think so, and she was probably so good at it, that the poor girl trusted her too…she will apologise to her later, but now she has to fix this. Even if Toby has betrayed Adil, she knew that a true love can’t end with this.

“You are right” Toby finally found the words to say “I failed…I’ve been a failure all my life…and Adil deserves better. I love him, but I’m not ready for this, for having to stay in a corner when he’s at the centre of the scene…because I want to share everything with him, but he doesn’t let me. Probably because he doesn’t want to disappoint you…so you win, and I lose. I made a mistake to come here, in the first place, and I continued until last night, when I let my physical needs to get the best of my feelings, thinking Adil and I were over”

Jaya was listening silently and watching Toby carefully. It was obvious that he still loved Adil, but he was running away.

“No one wins here, Mr. Hamilton. Not me, not you, and certainly not Adil. If you really are sure that leaving is the best option for you, both of you, then I’m not stopping you”

Toby closed his eyes for a moment. No, it wasn’t the best option, but now he couldn’t see others to fix things.

“I’m sure”

Liar. 

“Well then, goodbye, Mr. Hamilton and good luck”


	11. 11

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> LOVE, LOVE, LOVE!!!

The sky was full of heavy clouds and the air was almost suffocating…or it was just the pain, the ache, the knowledge that he won’t be able to smile again to make him feel like this?  
Adil was leaning on the cold stone of a small tower. He was there to watch Toby leaving his life forever…from a distance, so that the man he still loved with every part of him couldn’t see the tears that didn’t seem abltooi stop falling from his eyes.

He took a look and saw Toby hugging his mother. He was giving his back to him so he couldn’t see his face…but if he could he would have seen how shattered Toby was. He was paler than ever, the light was gone from his eyes, he felt completely dried. The only thought of what he did, of having to go on without Adil in his life was making him sick.

“Thank you, Deepali, for everything you did for us, for me…”

“I’m so, so sorry Toby”

She went to talk to Adil before saying goodbye to Toby. She didn’t try to convince him to forgive the man or suggest to stop him from leaving, she simply told her son that love isn’t always sweet kisses and loving eyes, sometimes it’s pain, anger, lost. It’s not for granted, you need to fight to keep it alive and be rewarded with a happiness that has no comparison: love and be loved in return. If you don’t even try, you’ll regret it, sooner or later.

She kissed Adil on his forehead, knowing he would do a good use of her words.

Words that were echoing in his mind now…how true they were…Toby and him had all of this: sweet kisses, loving eyes…they passed through anger, and pain, and they almost lost each other once, promising they’d do their best not to let something like that happen again. 

They both forgot that promise made when Adil was still trying to recover to his suicide attempt and Toby felt guilty.

They just gave up too easily in front of a situation bigger than what they thought. 

And now Adil could see that he has a lot to blame himself for, if they reached that point.

Deepali saw him watching them, and smiled. Toby pointed in the direction she was looking at, and saw Adil. Or better, he caught a shadow standing in the tower and guessed it was him. He closed his eyes and a weak smile appeared on his face.

It was just for a second, but Adil saw it.

He run, as fast as he could when he heard the car door slamming and the engine start. He was out of the main gate of the Palace when the rain started to fall, but he didn’t care. He needed to run, hoping that even if the monsoon was draining tons of water, the driver would see him in the rear-view mirror and stop the car, or that maybe Toby would hear him calling his name.

Toby turned his head…he thought he was dreaming…but…no, Adil was actually running to the car, screaming his name under the rain.

“Stop! Stop it!”

He jumped outside and run into Adil’s arms.

They hug like their own lives depended on that, and they actually did. They didn’t care to be soak wet, they just wanted to stay like this forever. No words needed, their eyes were saying everything, and their lips sealed with a passionate kiss a reconciliation that will be the start of a new life for them.

There would be time for explanations, talking and clarifying, now it was just the time for love.

They were standing naked beside the bed in the warm light of Adil’s room, hands rediscovering every inch of their bodies like it was the first time, lips unable to be apart, heat spreading from their bodies.

Adil laid on the bed bringing Toby down with him, never stop kissing. 

Toby felt like he was living a dream. He left Adil’s lips to trail kisses along his neck, his chest, down to his inner tights, making his man push his hips up, wanting for more. Toby pressed Adil’s body on the mattress with all his strength, like he could disappear from beneath his fingers at any moment when he finally took Adil in his mouth.

God, how much he missed him…

Adil was letting Toby have his way with him, and he couldn’t stop tears of relief falling from his eyes. He thought they would never be able to make love like this agaoin, that he would have never felt that wonderful sensation of being alive that only Toby’s body can make him feel.

Toby sensed something was off with Adil and stopped sucking him to reach his face. When he saw the tears, he froze for a moment…but Adil opened his eyes and pulled him down for a kiss that was saying everything: I’m sorry, I forgive you, Don’t ever leave me, I need you, I love you…

“Make love to me, Toby. I need to feel I’m yours”

His voice was husky with lust and sent an electric vibe along Toby’s spine. He went down again, kissing and licking the already wet tip of Adil’s member, while his fingers gently prepared him. When Adil was ready, he went back to kiss him while he slowly pushed himself deep inside his lover who welcomed him with a deep moan, crossing his legs around Toby’s back to give him more access.

Toby stopped for a moment to enjoy the feeling of being with Adil again. That was home, that was the only place where he wanted to be. The perfect body underneath him was the only one he wanted to pleasure and receive pleasure from, those eyes were the ones he would always want to get lost into, Adil was the one and only man he would ever love.

They started to move in perfect synchrony, brushing their noses together, with soft kisses between a moan and a whisper.

There wasn’t rush, it was slow and sweet, like it was the first time they were discovering each other. And in a sense it was…because after this new breakup they went through, they both new they should start again and do everything like it was the first time, trying to avoid the mistakes that made them suffer so much.

When Toby felt he was nearing his climax, he let a hand slip between them to stroke Adil so that they could come together, because nothing could be compared to the sense of completeness that he felt whenever they had their orgasm at the same time.

It was magical, pure bliss, pure love. One body, one heart. And when they exploded, calling each other, everything around them disappeared, and they were the only two men in the world.


	12. EPILOGUE

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This is complete fantasy...Adil "coronation" as Maharaja of Bharatpur.
> 
> Don't ask me why, but I imagined this scene before everything else. Basically, I started to think of the story from its end! And I associate it with a specific music, that felt immediately perfect for it.   
> It's from "Tree of Life Suite", "Wilde Side" - Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Roberto Cacciapaglia. It was part of the show of the "Tree of Life" during the World EXPO that took place in Milan (my city) in 2015, and it has always thrilled me.
> 
> I think it's the right epilogue for my exotic fairy tale!

“Dear Toby,  
I’m really sorry for not being able to come for such an important day, but you can easily understand the reason why. Even if the on the ground things seem to go on slowly, the battles in the skies with the Germans are almost daily.  
I would have preferred to apologise to you and Adil in person. Maybe once this madness will be over, I’ll reach you in India and I’ll have my chance.  
I’m sorry for the way I reacted, for all the bad words I told to both of you. The truth was that I’ve been completely destabilized by the whole situation. I got mad because of many reasons, none on which is strong enough to justify the way I acted.  
I’m not going to tell you in this letter about them, I want to do it in a twin to twin talk. But let me tell you that I understand, now, and that I’m far from being disgusted by you and the person you chose to live your live with.  
A few weeks after you left to India, we had to face a very dangerous mission above the occupied France regions. The Commander of our squad gave me the letter…the one we always write to the most important person in our life to say goodbye, in case we fall during the mission. I gave him mine to Emma.  
The weather was against us, and the enemy seemed to know we’d come…half of the fleet that flew over Normandy that night got lost…and C.der Wentworth too.  
I felt like a part of me died that night. When I felt the courage to go and deliver the letter, I was surprised to find it was addressed to man. He was very kind, he invited me in, prepared me a cup of tea and finally took the letter to read it. The pain I saw in his eyes was like a punch at my stomach, and I understood. He then told me their story, how they met, how they fell in love, how they decided to live together even it could cost them both to go to prison, how difficult it was to keep all a secret.  
And when I left, everything was clear to me. Love is love. There’s no difference if it’s between a man and a woman or two men. The way it affects your live is the same.  
So when Mother told me she and Emma would come to India for Adil official proclamation as ruler of Bharatpur, and that you’ve decided to live there with him, I decided to write to you.  
I’m happy that you’ve found your place in the world, and if Adil makes you happy and loves you the way you deserve to be loved, I have nothing to say against it.  
I wish you both all the happiness, and I hope I can do it in person soon.

Yours, Freddie”

Toby was reading his twin’s letter for the umpteenth time when Lady Priscilla appeared on the doorframe to call him.

“Darling, Adil and his grandmother are ready, you have to go”

Toby smiled tenderly to his mother. Since she arrived in Bharatpur, she looked like she was living a second youth. She was happy, carefree, she befriended Deepali and Jaya immediately and to Toby it seemed like she was another person. A better kind of person, he had to say.

Actually, Lady Priscilla too felt a lot better here, where she can just be a woman, and not just Lady Hamilton. She was going to consider to ask her son and Adil if she could stay with them a little bit more than she planned…a few months away from The Halcyon and all the bad memories it shields felt like a gift life was giving to her. 

When she left Toby with Adil, she kissed him of the cheek, catching him by surprise.

“I’m so happy for you, Toby. You’re shining, and for the first time I can see you’re truly happy”

“Thank you, Mother. I am, I am happy and now that I know that Freddie supports me too, I can say that things can’t be more perfect than this”

Toby would have liked to kiss Adil to show him how proud and happy he was. But even if they would be living together, their love should stay confined inside the palace rooms. No public display of affection was allowed. 

“I want this to be over so much…so that we can be alone in our room…”

Adil whispered, so that people around them couldn’t hear him. It was always a surprise for Toby when Adil seemed to read his mind. They were perfectly made for each other, no doubts about it.

“Are you ready?”

Jaya interrupted their moment, by taking Toby’s arm. He would have stayed at her side for the whole ceremony, so that everyone could see him as an effective member of the family, even if they still hadn’t thought about a role to assign to him to make his presence at the palace official…

He was wearing a traditional dress for today, and all the women stated that he looked absolutely perfect. Emma seemed particularly pleased in seeing Toby so at ease in this new situation, because she knew how much he had struggled to come to terms with who he was.

The ceremony took place according to an old etiquette, unaltered during the centuries, and even it was only symbolic, the people of Bharatpur were taking this celebration day very seriously. Maybe because the new ruler was young and charming, maybe because he grew up in another country and he could bring new fresh air, maybe because he was kind, always smiling, easy to reach and talk to.

After the part inside the Palace, where only selected guests were allowed, the whole family appeared from the gate and an explosion of coloured flower petals covered them all. People were cheering, and applauding, but when Adil turned to Toby and they exchanged a bright smile, the chaos around them disappeared. 

It felt like they could hear the other saying “I love you, forever”.

Because they knew that was their fate. They were living their personal fairy tale, Toby and Adil, happily ever after…

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So, I guess I'm done with Toby and Adil.   
> I managed to write and share with this fantastic fandom all the things they made me imagine.  
> I'll continue to read new works about them, but I don't think I'll write something else.
> 
> Another couple has captured my attention and melted my heart. Maybe because, for once, they are Italian, maybe because they are young, and troubled, and beautiful and perfect together...I've decided I'll write in my own language about Martino and Niccolò from the Italian remake of SKAM (if anyone is interested in watching the TV show, there are the full episodes with English subtitles on YouTube).
> 
> Probably I'll translate something in English, becasue I've seen that most of the works on SKAM Italy are in English here, so if you like my writing and you want to try something else than The Halcyon, let me know so that I know if it makes sense to actually translate my works.
> 
> Thank you with all my heart to everyone who has read, commented and liked my stories. It has been a wonderful journey!


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